Evidence in the kidnapping case of nine year old George Hunt Weyerhaeuser; communication by letter from the kidnappers. The first ransom note from the abductors arrived around 6:30 p.m. in the evening on May 24, 1935 by special delivery. It demanded $200,000 in ransom in special unmarked denominations. It gave the family 5 days to raise the money and gave the instructions to take an ad in the Seattle PI signed "Percy Minnie." The typed letter was signed "Egoist, Egoist" and also bore George's signature. Later communications contained precise directions on delivering the money. The letters indicated that they were written by an educated, intelligent and organized person. (T. Times 5/25/1935, pg. 1 plus succeeding days)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Weyerhaeuser, George H.--Correspondence; Evidence (Law);

Entrance between hedges at Annie Wright Seminary to staircase; area where George Weyerhaeuser was kidnapped shortly after noon on May 24, 1935. Following the death of J.P. Weyerhaeuser, obituaries citing his wealth caught the eye of a trio looking for a fast buck. Harman Waley, his wife Margaret and William Dainard decided to abduct Weyerhaeuser's grandson 9 year old George and hold him for ransom. They took the boy as he walked from Lowell School to the Seminary to meet with his sister Ann and travel home for lunch. They held him for $200,000 in ransom. The sensational case forced everything else off the front page, including the lumber workers strike in Tacoma. (T. Times 5/25/1935, pg. 1 plus succeeding days)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Weyerhaeuser, George H.--Kidnappings;

First photograph available of William Dainard, known to the Waleys as William Mahan, after his implication by the couple in the kidnapping of George Weyerhaeuser. Thirty five year old Dainard was a habitual offender who knew Harman Waley from time that they spent together in an Idaho prison. The trio, Waley, his wife and Dainard, abducted George Weyerhaeuser and held him ransom for $200,000. The police narrowly missed capturing Dainard in Butte, Mt., on June 9, 1935. Dainard fled from the stolen car that he was driving when he saw the officers approach. Over $15,000 in recorded bills from the ransom were found in the vehicle. Dainard was captured almost a year later, in May of 1936, after his designation as "Public Enemy #1," pled guilty and was sentenced to two 60 year terms. (T. Times 06/10/1935, pg. 1 plus succeeding days)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Dainard, William; Weyerhaeuser, George H.--Kidnappings;

Law enforcement agents wait at the base of the ladder for accused kidnappers Harman and Margaret Waley to descend from the United Airlines airplane which has ferried them from Salt Lake City to Tacoma. The plane arrived at Tacoma Field at 6:35p.m. on June 12, 1935, to be met by waiting agents and a crowd of hundreds of curious onlookers. The pair had been arrested in Salt Lake, accused of having abducted and ransomed nine year old George Weyerhaeuser. They were whisked from the plane to the Federal Building in Tacoma where they pled "not guilty," despite the fact that they had already surrendered to agents their remaining half of the ransom money. (T. Times 06/13/1935, pg. 1 plus succeeding days)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Waley, Harman; Waley, Margaret; Tacoma Field (Lakewood); Airplanes--Tacoma--1930-1940; Weyerhaeuser, George H.--Kidnappings;

This photograph appears to be of a press conference or police briefing at the J.P. (Phil) Weyerhaeuser, Jr. home after the June 1, 1935 release of kidnap victim George Weyerhaeuser. The Weyerhaeusers refused to speak to the press until after the release of George, a decision that made the ransom process go quicker and that may have saved his life. Even after his release, the family spoke only briefly and generally with the press, preferring to let George return to his normal life.

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Weyerhaeuser, George H.--Kidnappings;

Mrs. B. Lucille Berg; George Weyerhaeuser's third grade teacher at Lowell Elementary. On May 24, 1935, in what was Tacoma's most sensational crime, George Weyerhaeuser was kidnapped as he walked from Lowell Elementary at noontime to meet his sister Ann at Annie Wright Seminary and go home for lunch with her. He was held for $200,000 ransom and released on Tiger Mountain Road in Issaquah after payment on June 1, 1935. Mrs. Berg figured importantly in the case, supplying samples of George's handwriting to compare with his purported handwriting on the ransom notes sent to prove authenticity. (T. Times 5/25/1935, pg. 1 plus succeeding months)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Berg, Lucille; Lowell Elementary School (Tacoma); Weyerhaeuser, George H.--Kidnappings;

A smiling George Weyerhaeuser poses for the news cameras after his release by kidnappers on June 1, 1935. In what the most sensational crime in Tacoma's history, George was kidnapped on May 24, 1935 as he walked from Lowell School to Annie Wright Seminary to meet his sister and be motored home for lunch by the family chauffer. The ransom demand was for the astronomical sum of $200,000. After the ransom was paid by his father Phil Weyerhaeuser, the boy was released on Tiger Mountain Road in Issaquah. He made it to the home of Louis Bonifas and identified himself; the amazed Bonifas called Tacoma and began driving him home. Reporter John Dreher of the Seattle Times on a hunch started out on the road to Issaquah in a taxi, met Bonifas and convinced him to allow the reporter to deliver George to the Weyerhaeuser home. What resulted was an exclusive interview with the world's most famous kidnap victim. A shaken, but otherwise okay, George was delivered to his parents at around 8 a.m. on June 1, 1935. (TNT 6/1/35, pg. 1)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Weyerhaeuser, George H.;

This US Postal Service special delivery messenger, Fred Hipkins, became the man of the hour when he reported that he had seen what he felt was an attempt to deliver the ransom money in the George Weyerhaeuser kidnapping case. The Tacoma Times carried a front page story that Hipkins had seen a bright light suspended in a tall fir tree near the intersection of Custer & Steilacoom Highways. He interpreted this as a sign from the kidnappers. Later, near Western States, he saw a large dark sedan with its lights off and people inside. The following morning, tire tracks and dislodged stones could be found in the stone wall surrounding the asylum, a possible ransom drop. This story occupied several pages in the May 31, 1935 Tacoma Times only to disappear and not be repeated. Obviously a dead end. (T. Times 5/31/1935, pg. 1)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Hipkins, Fred; Weyerhaeuser, George H.--Kidnappings;

The backyard of the Weyerhaeuser home at 7:45 a.m. on Saturday morning, 6/1/1935, when newspapermen heard read an official statement from Mr. and Mrs. Weyerhaeuser that their son George had returned home after his kidnapping ordeal. The tall man next to the automobile, turning away from the crowd of reporters, is H. Marfield Bolcom of Seattle. Mr. Bolcom was a friend and confidant of the Weyerhaeuser family and served as unofficial spokesperson during the kidnapping. (T. Times 6/1/1935, pg. 8)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Weyerhaeuser, George H.--Kidnappings;

An investigator or reporter examines a rock wall at Western States Hospital where stones have been dislodged in a purported ransom attempt for kidnap victim George Weyerhaeuser. Fred Hipkins, a US postal service messenger, reported what he interpreted to be an ransom attempt. In the early hours, he saw a bright light suspended in a tall fir tree near Custer & Steilacoom Highways. Later, near Western States, he saw a sedan parked with its lights off and people inside. The following morning, tire tracks were found near this wall with dislodged stones indicating a possible ransom drop. The story dominated the May 31st, 1935 Tacoma Times paper, only to disappear in the next days, a probable dead end. (T. Times 5/31/1935, pg. 1)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Weyerhaeuser, George H.--Kidnappings; Stone walls;

Washington State Patrol officers review Charles Mattson kidnapping crime scene photographs with an unidentified man. Ten year old Charles Mattson was kidnapped for ransom on December 27, 1936. His battered body was recovered January 10, 1937. His murder was never solved. Frank Olson, a mental patient at Medical Lake Asylum, confessed to kidnapping the Mattson boy. After two days of questioning by the State Patrol at the Winthrop Hotel, Olson, also known as Lester Mead and Charles Thorp, was found harmless and was returned to the Asylum. He was in residence at the Asylum at the time of the kidnapping. (T. Times 7/13/1938, pg. 1; TNT 7/13/1938, pg.1)

Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Washington State Patrol (Tacoma); Mattson, Charles--Kidnappings;

Back of Photo:
(Top) Larry Snider
(Lower) Andy Wright

Tacoma Police Department. Ten dignitaries, attending the graduation services for 37 police officers, stand on the stage at Stadium High School.

Police--Tacoma--1940-1950; Law enforcement training--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma); Stadium High School (Tacoma); Stages (Platforms);

Harold J. O'Brien of Algona, Washington was killed on Christmas Day, when his car was sideswiped by a truck. The accident occurred about 800 feet south of the King-Pierce County line on Edgewood Road. O'Brien's neck was broken with the impact, killing his instantly. O'Brien's mother, brother and sister-in-law were also in the vehicle, they did not suffer any injuries. State Patrolmen reported O'Brien was driving 1-1/2 feet over the center line. View of State Patrolmen carrying away the body (T. Times, 12/26/47, p. 3).

Law enforcement officers--Tacoma; Traffic accidents--Tacoma; Litters; Emergency medical services--Tacoma; Rescue work--Tacoma; Wounds & injuries--Tacoma; Victims--Tacoma; Washington State Patrol (Tacoma); O'Brien, Harold J.--Death & burial;

Tacoma's finest, along with their vehicles, stand alertly outside the Public Safety Building/City Hall Annex on August 29, 1953. They were members of the Tacoma Police Department's Motorcycle division. TPL-7118

Police--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma); Public Safety Building (Tacoma); City Hall Annex (Tacoma); Motorcycles--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Tacoma Police Department graveyard shift on the Spanish Steps at the Elks lodge. Police officers display beards and mustaches in keeping with the request for Tacoma men not to shave during the month of August. The city sponsored a beard contest as a part of the ceremonies celebrating the Northwest Territory Centennial. TPL-8748

Police--Tacoma--1950-1960;

On January 12, 1965, Tacoma police counted coins from five confiscated slot machines on a makeshift table in the basement of the County City Building. According to a News Tribune article the following day, Detective Ritchie Mace, City Prosecutor Jack Majeres and Captain John Gookins tallied the coins from slot machines seized in a September 15, 1964, raid on Tacoma barber George Parrott's residence. The slots had been opened and smashed by police per court order. The two 25 cent slots, one nickel slot, and two penny slots had coins totaling $117.33. (TNT 1-13-65, A-3)

Slot machines--Tacoma; Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma); Police--Tacoma--1960-1970; Coins--United States; Gookins, John; Mace, Ritchie; Majeres, Jack;

Two men believed to be Federal Prohibition agents worked on July 17, 1931, at dismantling the boiler from the still found in the barn at a Graham, Washington, farm. The illegal operation was as modern and complete as a commercial pre-Prohibition distillery. It was estimated to have been built for $50,000, was in clear view of the highway and operated for six months. The owner of the farm, a Pierce County road district employee, maintained that he rented out the barn and was not aware of the illegal activities. In fact, this location was probably chosen in part due to the respectability that the farmer lent to the operation. In an odd twist of fate, the bootleggers were preparing to abandon the still, or dismantle and move it, and were making their last batch when the raid was made. It is estimated that the operators manufactured over a 1/2 million dollars of alcohol before the still was shut down. 52,000 gallons of mash were seized in the raid. (TNT 7/17-19, 1931, pg. 1-various articles)

Prohibition--Graham; Stills (Distilleries); Police raids--Graham;

A pile of slot machines awaits the sledgehammer of Chief Deputy Sheriff John Piper on October 9, 1929 at the county courthouse. These were a sample of the 39 slots ordered destroyed following seizure by county officers from various places of businesses in Pierce County. A total of $244.85 in nickels, dimes and quarters was taken from the machines. This amount, less $10 for trucking, was turned over to the county school fund. The machines, minus their cash, were taken to the waterfront and dumped into Commencement Bay. (TNT 10-10-29, p. 17) TPL-8466;

Six plain clothes detectives from the Tacoma Police Department stand next to a uniformed officer, perhaps the police chief, on March 18, 1927. The building to the rear is possibly the Elks Club on Broadway. Boland B16553, TPL-9068

Tacoma Police Department (Tacoma); Police--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Prohibition actually began early in Washington state where saloons were ordered to close at midnight on December 31, 1915. However, alcohol was soon readily available as enterprising entrepreneurs produced "moonshine" from homemade distilleries, "stills," like the one pictured at (Old) City Hall in August of 1920. A long tube comes to a narrow point, allowing the liquor to drip conveniently into a bottle. (TDL 8/15/1920, pg B-5) G24.1-076

Prohibition--Tacoma; Stills (Distilleries);